Media Credit: Christin Palazzolo On Wednesday afternoon Jen Lleras, co-director of The Oregon Students of Color Coalition, encourages students that are not yet registered to vote to do so.

The Oregon Student Association has been swarming college campuses around voting season for years, and the group plans on making its presence known on the University campus for the next few days. It is trying to get as many students registered to vote as possible before the April 29 registration deadline.

"Students have a lot they stand to win in the upcoming elections," said Courtney Sproule, spokeswoman for the OSA.

The OSA has registered 4,178 students state-wide and 1,410 University students as of Thursday night, Sproule said. Its goal is to reach 5,000 new student registrations by the Tuesday deadline.

The Student Vote Coalition, an OSA group comprised of student governments, registered 33,617 students to vote in the 2004 presidential election and 22,296 students in the 2006 election.

In the three most student-dense precincts in Eugene - West University, South University and apartments near Autzen Stadium - the voter turnout in 2006 was 43 percent greater than the 2002 voter levels in those areas, according to an OSA report.

Sproule said she thinks the OSA drives have definitely played a part in the increasing student voter registration and turnout rates in those areas.

However, she also acknowledged that educated students are aware of the powerful tool they have.

"You can create enormous change by going out and voting," Sproule said.

jreed@dailyemerald.com

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